1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, particularly, to a multiple pole connector.
2. Background Art
FIG. 14 shows the connector plug 70 of a conventional multiple pole connector. The connector plug 70 includes a metal plug shell 71, a sleeve 73 rotatably attached to the plug shell 71 to form a mating connector plugging recess 72, an insulative case 74 fitted in the plug shell 71 and made of a synthetic resin, a plurality of female terminals 78 supported by the insulative case 74, a cord tube 79 connected to the plug shell 71, and a cord clamp 85. The plug shell 71 has a cord tube connection section 80 with a male thread 81. The insulative case 74 has a plurality of terminal apertures 82 in the axial direction.
As shown in FIG. 15(1), the shield cable 90 includes a plurality of conductors 91 each made of a plurality of twisted wires 92 covered with an inner insulative layer 93. These conductors 91 are covered with a shield layer 94, which is covered with an outer sheath 95.
In the order of FIGS. 15(1) and (2) and FIGS. 16(1), (2), and (3), an end of the shield cable 90 is provided with a cap 96 and a ring member 97. More specifically, the front portions of the wires 92, the inner insulative layer 93, and the shield layer 94 are exposed. As shown in FIG. 15(2), the cap 96 with a male thread 96a is put on the end of the outer sheath 95. As shown in FIGS. 16(1) and (2), the shield layer 96 is folded back to cover the edge of the cap 96. As shown in FIG. 16(3), a conductive ring 97 with an C-shaped section is fitted over the folded portion of the shield layer 94 to press the shield layer 94 against the cap 96.
As shown in FIG. 17, a metal sleeve 83 is put on the end of the shield cable 90, with the female terminal 78 in contact with the exposed conductor 91. The sleeve 83 is secured to the cap 96 by engaging the female thread 83a of the sleeve 83 with the male thread 96a of the cap 96, while the female terminal 78 is fitted in the terminal aperture 82 of the insulative case 74.
As shown in FIG. 14, the cord tube 79 is secured to the plug shell 71 by engaging the female thread 79a with the male thread 81. A gasket 84 is put in the gasket mounting section of the cord tube 79, and the cord clamp 85 is put on the cord tube 79 to press the gasket 84 against the shield cable 90, thereby providing the waterproof effect and gripping the shield cable 90. In the connector plug 70, the shield layer 94 of the shield cable 90 is electrically connected to the plug shell 71 via the sleeve 83.
In JP 11-354218, the shield layer is electrically connected to the shield shell by putting an inner ring over the exposed shield layer and an outer ring over the shield cable to hold the shield layer between them, bringing the shield layer into contact with the outer ring and inserting the end of the shield cable into the housing such that the a spring contact piece comes into spring contact with the shield shell in the housing.
The former of the above conventional multiple pole connectors uses the cap 96, the ring 97, and sleeve 83 to connect the shield layer 94 to the plug shell 71, especially putting the sleeve 83 on the end of the shield cable 90 and engaging the female thread 83a of the sleeve 83 with the male thread 96a of the cap 96. This method, however, requires many steps and complex assembling operations.
The latter of the above conventional multiple pole connectors holds the exposed shield layer between the inner and outer rings, bringing the shield layer into contact with the outer ring and inserting the end of the shield cable into the housing, thereby the spring contact piece into spring contact with the shield shell. This method also requires many assembling steps and complex assembling operations.